


My Heart Is Full (Of Flowers)

by The_Risen_Phoenix



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, MerMay, Nico (mentioned) - Freeform, No Beta, One Sided Nero/Kyrie, Second first kiss, Slow Burn, V's familiars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-03-09 14:44:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18919120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Risen_Phoenix/pseuds/The_Risen_Phoenix
Summary: Suffering from the effects of an unrequited love, Nero seeks solitude to wallow in his misery.But a chance encounter with a creature of myth could change his fate.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yup, this is so cliche that I should feel ashamed. But I don't :)  
> Hopefully will finish this before May ends....but well, who knows?

 

 

V first saw flowers as the crying man curled over on the dock and coughed them up. At first it was just a few petals that would drift down to float atop the water, but weeks later full blooms were choking their way up the other man's throat.

 

V wasn't quite sure what the other man was doing, but something about the blooms drew him in. They were delicate and beautiful and fragile in a way that was almost foreign to him, and the scents curled beneath his nose and left him wanting to smell more.

 

It was because of this urge that he had accidentally revealed himself to the human one summer's day. He had watched curious and horrified almost as instead of just one or two flowers, the other man had pulled an entire strand of flowers from his throat only to lay panting upon the dock once his airways were as clear as he could make them. The man lay upon the dock, barely clinging to consciousness, flowers hung limply from his hand as he lay motionless, nearly touching the water, and although the origins of the flowers disturbed him, the temptation to _touch,see, smell_ was too much for V and he crept closer.

 

He reached out to touch the soft petals of the flowers, this time the delicate petals were tinged with sickly dangerous red, and followed the strand upwards until his startled green eyes met with widened, disbelieving blue. Jolting backwards, V dived beneath the dock to hide, terrified.

 

With a hoarse shout, Nero tried to call him back.

 

“Please! Wait!” He croaked out, a rough cough forcing it's way up his throat. “I didn't mean to startle you, please come back.”

 

“ _Don't do it V!”_ V's companion warned. _“He's a human, and you can never trust a human.”_

 

But V had never been good at listening to advice, and even worse at following it. Plus his curiosity had been piqued and he wanted to know more about this strange creature and his flower habit.

 

Nero lay helpless, wondering if he had hallucinated those green eyes peering up at him from the water. Perhaps this sickness was causing him to see things only heard about in fairytales.

 

Peering between the wooden boards to try to see the other man, Nero's attention was drawn to the end of the dock where dark hair and green eyes peered up at him just above the waterline. _Ah, not an hallucination then,_ Nero thought _._ He smiled as gently as possible, and tried to beckon the other closer, but in a rare show of self preservation, V shook his head slightly.

 

Not surprised by the other's actions, Nero settled himself once more at the end of the dock, covering his mouth as a few stray blooms made their way up his throat. He watched as the fell into the water, watched as curiosity shone from green eyes as the other man reached out to stroke a tattooed finger along the curling petals.

 

“They're called flowers.” Nero rasped, wishing he had brought something to drink with him to soothe the never ending ache in his throat.

 

“Flowers?”

 

Nero shivered as he heard the other man's voice. Deep and sensual; he could well believe the tales regarding the sirens luring men to their deaths. As it was, Nero was already halfway there, and he had no extra need to be lured there.

 

“We grow them up here, on land.” He tried to explain.

 

“For decoration? Like coral?” V surmised, tilting his head in question.

 

“I guess, it is?” Nero was out of his depth. Words and explanations had never really been his forte, he was more a man of action. Words had been Kyrie's thing and....

 

His thoughts were abruptly cut short as another fit of coughing wracked his frame. His once robust healthy body showed the signs of his illness starkly. Muscles withered away, cheeks sunken and shadows beneath his hollow eyes.

 

More flowers fell into the water, prompting the wary man closer. More of his face appeared, his straight blade of a nose and pink pouting lips, parted in wonder, emerged from the water.

 

“Beautiful..they are just beautiful” V's voice was reverent, as he cupped the bloom gently between his hands raising it slightly to inhale the sweet scent. “Though I can't help but wonder why you eat them if you obviously don't enjoy them.”

 

Nero let out a bark of laughter that hide a note of bitterness within.

 

“I don't eat them per se, it's....it's complicated really.” Nero ends the completely uninformative explanation with a seemingly careless wave of his hand. “And I'd think there were beautiful too, if only they weren't killing me...”

 

V looked up sharply at Nero's words, his face contorted in confusion and slight revulsion missing the rest of Nero's words. To think something so beautiful would be the cause of another's ailment was shocking to him. Though some of the most beautiful things in the ocean, were also the most deadly, perhaps this was similar?

 

“ _Dammit V! Now you're gonna catch whatever this idiot has and we're all gonna die too!”_ Griffon bitched in his head.

 

V twitched in alarm and promptly dropped the flower back into the water, trying to back away as far as he could.

 

“Don't worry,” Nero smiled reassuringly. “You can't catch this.”

 

“Are you certain?” V asked disbelievingly.

 

“One hundred percent sure dude. This,” Nero gestured to all of the flowers and himself “this is all a symptom of unrequited love.”

 

Reassured, V crept back closer as Nero explained that he had been raised together with another girl, and while his feelings had turned to romantic love, hers had stayed strictly familial. It hadn't been long after his failed confession that he had started coughing up the petals. Unwilling and unable to keep away from her, and not able to let go of his feelings, Nero's condition had gradually worsened until he had gotten to this state.

 

“Been taking hunts to try to keep away, get my mind off of...things,” Nero explained, “but the worse I'm getting, the harder it is for me to complete the jobs.”

 

V listened as the other man poured out his heart, gently prodding him on with a quiet question or two when he seemed to falter, never seeming to mind when Nero had to pause to take a break and catch his breath again. It was hours later that Nero finally ran out of words. He didn't know why he had opened up to a complete stranger, a stranger who he realised he didn't even know the name of.

 

“I've just realised that I've dumped a whole lot of my problems on you, and I don't even know your name.” Nero looks abashed.

 

V chuckled warmly, the side of his mouth tilted up in amusement. “I have no name....well not one that your human tongue would have any hope of speaking, but you can call me V.”

 

Nero nodded and pointed to himself. “Nero.”

 

“Well met Nero.” V said with a twinkle in his eye. The scoff in his head from one of his companions was easily ignored.

 

The distant call of Nero's name drew both of their attention, a bouncy raven haired woman yelling for him to hurry up. Nero waved at her, motioning that he would be there shortly, and turned back to the other.

 

“Gotta head off, maybe one day I'll be back. Perhaps I'll bring you some different flowers for you to see.”

 

“Only if they are not the kind that are killing you Nero, as beautiful as they may be, that is a little morbid even for me. Besides, it is my hope that you would make a swift recovery.”

 

Nero smiled at the other man's sincere words as he hauled himself to his feet. He made his slow way towards Nico's van, throwing one last wave over his shoulder. The faint splash of water let him know the other man had left.

 

“Who you wavin' at?” Nico questioned him.

 

“Oh just a friend,” Nero responded with a smile.

 

Nico just shook her head and mumbled about crazy idiots that scared their friends by disappearing for hours and made up buddies from the ocean, and Nero shoulder bumped her good naturedly. And that night if he happened to cough a little bit less, well he was too happy to notice.

 


	2. Chapter 2

It was over a week later that V made his way back to the surface, only to see the slightly familiar face of Nero peering into the water. V assumed it was because he was looking for him, and a foreign feeling of warmth filled his chest.

V's companions tried to dissuade him from revealing himself to the other man, but V could not stay away. As his head broke the surface of the water, Nero's face broke into a happy smile and an answering grin spread across V's face too. The grumbling of his companions annoyed V, and with a swipe of his hand he banished them both back into the swirling tattoos that covered his skin.

Upon the dock, sitting innocently beside the seated male, sat a large bright bouquet of sunny yellow flowers. V was excited to see more flowers, though he was also worried that the other man had coughed these up also.

Nero watched, enraptured as V dove back beneath the water only to resurface with a huge wave of water and pull himself up upon the deck to sit beside the other man. Laughing happily, Nero wiped water out of his eyes as he turned to take in the full view of the mer.

V's dark hair hung wetly over his tattooed shoulders, water dripping down and following the swirls of black that covered his arms and torso. Nero wondered if that was a mer thing, or a personal choice of V's. 

His body was muscular but still slender, almost unhealthily so, and his fingers were long and slim and reminded Nero of a pianist. His waist and hips were scattered with shiny scales ranging from black to grey, before fading into his similarly coloured tail. Thin, nearly transparent fins in the softest shade of gray Nero had even seen, flowed from his hips and the end of his tail that was currently trailing in the water below.

Nero really wanted to touch the scales, wanted to see if they felt as soft as they looked or whether they were just slimy like a fish. He was about to reach out, social etiquette be damned, when his hand brushed against the flowers that he had brought for V to look at. With a pleased smile, Nero grabbed the bunch and offered them to the hesitant mer.

“What's wrong? Don't you like them?” Nero questioned when V didn't immediately grab for the flowers like he had expected.

“These flowers...” V started hesitantly. “You did not pain yourself by coughing them up did you?”

“What? No! No these aren't....I mean I bought these for you, not coughed them up!” Nero stammered, flustered.

“Did someone else cough them up then?” V asked next.

“No V, flowers don't have to come from a person coughing them up. Like I said the other time, we grow them up here.” V nodded in understanding. “The flowers that I cough up....they are part of a disease where feelings of love are not returned.”

“I, I don't understand how that works.” V stated looking confused.

Nero blew out a breath in contemplation. He wasn't sure how to describe this, wasn't even sure if things worked the same way with relationships in the mer world.

“Ok so when we realise that we are in love with someone, our bodies start producing a special umm..hormone? Magic? Energy? Er, they're not really sure what it is, but it's special. If your love is returned, the contact you share with your loved one dispels this energy. But if your love isn't returned then it builds up inside of you, and it grows. It fills you up inside until you start coughing up flowers, and eventually you are filled with so many that it is impossible to get rid of them and...well you die.”

V looked horrified at this explanation. To think that something so beautiful could cause such tragedy. Both the feelings of love, and the flowers themselves.

“Are you going to die then? Can it be stopped?” V wondered.

“Yeah I am headed that way,” Nero responded wryly. “As for stopping it, well some people use magic to have the memories of the person they love removed, but that is mostly a last resort sort of thing and only works if you don't wait too long. You can find someone else to love too and hopefully that works out better, or well if you survive long enough then time works too.”

V hummed quietly in thought, all the while his companions chatted furiously within the confines of his mind. In the end their conclusion to all of this new information was simply 'humans are very strange creatures” and left it at that.

“I would hope for a swift recovery for yourself then Nero.” V reached out a hand and patted the back of Nero's arm gently.

Their talk soon turned to lighter things, and now that V knew that the flowers were not the cause of Nero's ailment, he delighted in exploring the new blooms. He questioned Nero regarding their name, and why they were such a bright colour, what the little black bits were and the long green stick it was attached to.

Nero laughingly told V as much about the blooms as he could, but he simply had never been interested in such things before, and so was only able to give V unsatisfactory answers to some of his questions. Once V's questions finally ran dry, Nero asked a few of his own regarding V and all things mer.

Of course there were some questions that V could not answer for safety reasons, but he did reveal the existence of his companions to Nero's great amazement.

With a wave of his hand and a sudden splash, Nero could hear colourful cursing start up from the water as V laughed in merriment. Leaning over to take a look, Nero was surprised when a wave of water hit him in the face. Falling over backwards in shock, Nero sputtered as V doubled over in laughter.

“Ha! Take that you smelly human leech!”

“Griffon!” V's stern voice broke Nero from his stupor and he scrambled back up to look at the creature below.

In the water below them a moray eel and the biggest damn lion fish that Nero had ever seen floated. The lion fish seemed content with simply giving him a menacing look, but the eel looked ready to leapt out of the water and take a bite out of him. Nero edged back from the water as subtly as he could, though obviously not subtly enough as V sent him a reassuring look.

“Don't worry, they won't harm you.” V started confidently. “I would be most displeased if they did.” This last part seemed to be said pointedly towards the eel.

With a loud 'hrumph' the eel subsided grumpily.

It was only then that Nero noticed that many of the markings along V's arm had faded with the appearance of his companions. When questioned, V looked at Nero nervously before answering.

“I'm, I've been cursed to live a life alone from the rest of the pod.” When Nero didn't show any signs of disgust or hatred, V continued slowly.

“When I was born a great calamity fell upon our pod, lives were lost and their homes destroyed. The council agreed that my birth was a bad omen and asked a witch to curse me and then cast me out.”

“But you were newly born! How did they expect you to survive?” Nero exclaimed.

V smiled sadly.

“I was not meant to survive Nero. My death was supposed to appease whatever Gods I had dishonoured with my birth and cease the misfortune of them all. However the witch was more soft hearted than they knew and blessed me with my companions to keep me safe and help me survive. It's always just been us against the world.”

Nero was speechless, how could a family abandon a baby like that? He looked over to see that both the lion fish and eel had wrapped themselves around V's tail, both staying as close to the mer as possible.

“Hey that sucks man, but we can make a club! Those abandoned at birth!” Nero laughed bitterly.

At V's questioning look, Nero explained how he had never known his parents, how he was raised in an orphanage where he met Kyrie and Nico. He paused to let out a little cough when he spoke of Kyrie, but no flowers came up and he soon continued. He talked about how he watched others be adopted, how he was always left behind. Too old, too wild, not right for them.

V listened quietly, as sense of kinship developing for this strangely open human man. It wasn't until Nero started shivering that they realised how much time had passed. Looking up, Nero could see the sun was well on it's way to setting. That combined with his still damp clothes were causing shivers to wrack his weakened body.

Smothering a muted cough behind his hand, Nero couldn't help but notice that he had hardly coughed at all while spending time with V. Sighing in sadness that their time was coming to a close, Nero turned to the mer still sat beside him and bid him farewell.

“Hey V it's been great chatting with you and learning all about a race that I thought only existed in fairytales, but I've got to head off before I freeze.”

“Ah my apologises. I do not feel the cold as yourself does, and the soaking I gave you earlier can not have helped any.”

Nero merely shrugged in reply. It was true that it hadn't, but he didn't want the other too feel bad about having a little fun with him. Hauling himself to his feet, Nero hesitated before he left. He didn't want to leave without knowing that he would get to see the other again, and so he voiced his request hesitantly.

“Will..will you meet me here again another time?”

“Of course Nero. I unfortunately have no way to tell how time passes on land, but I promise I will swim past every so often and hope to see you.”

Nero smiled in relief, he was going to meet the other again. It might be days, weeks or even months before he saw V again, but he would see him.

Nodding happily, Nero playfully gave V a push in the back sending the mer hurtling back into the water with a startled sound of shock that made Nero laugh. Dodging the wave of water that the amused V sent towards him, Nero turned and jogged back to his waiting bike. Suddenly the world didn't seem quite so dark and gray anymore, and for the first time in what felt like years, a weight felt like it had been lifted off of his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

They didn't manage to meet up again for several weeks this time around, but that didn't mean that they both didn't go past the dock several times just to check for the other.

V would smile at the evidence that Nero had been, bouquets of flowers tied to the planks to prevent them from falling in. And if his heart filled with warmth and started to beat faster, no one besides his companions knew.

Nero would find little pouches of woven sea-grass that held beautiful shells or strange oddities that V had found in the ocean and thought that Nero might like. It made Nero happy to know that V was thinking of him just as much as he was thinking of him.

It was early one spring afternoon when Nero bounced his way down the length of the dock to take a seat, feet dangling over the edge. Today he had brought a few strange looking flowers, though some would call them weeds. He really hoped that V would come today so that Nero could share the tradition of blowing the spores off of the dandelions with him. He knew that it was a childish thing to do, but blowing the spores whilst making a wish had been something he had done when he was younger and he wanted to share that memory with V.

A rope of thick green seaweed flew past Nero's head, falling around one of the posts and causing him to tip over backwards in shock. Bright happy laughter filled his ears and flooded Nero with joy. The slightly mocking laughter he could also hear was slightly less welcomed, but Nero wouldn't complain.

He watched in fascination as V grabbed the rope and pulled himself up onto the dock with barely a splash. Nero had to say that he appreciated not getting drenched again, and he made sure to tell the mer as much. V inclined his head in acknowledgement as he studied the man before him.

“I must say Nero, you are looking much better than previously.” He observed.

The pale gauntness of Nero's face had faded, a healthier tan highlighting fuller cheeks. The shadows beneath his eyes nearly gone, and the deadened, sunken look disappeared. Nero's body too looked much healthier, no longer looking as though a stiff breeze might knock him into the ocean, and V couldn't help but notice how attractive Nero looked now that he wasn't half dead.

Nero broke into a happy smile at the observation.

“Yeah Nico said the same thing to me. Had noticed I wasn't coughing as much either, and sent me off to the doc to get checked out. Turns out that the Hanahaki has receded and it should be gone hopefully within a month or so!”

“Congratulations Nero. I am most relieved to hear that you are regaining your health.” V hesitated briefly before continuing. “And your feelings for Kyrie?”

Nero heaved a heavy sigh at the sound of her name, but managed a small sad smile regardless.

“It's hard still, but........I've come to terms with her feelings and realised that maybe she was right? I've been wondering if I fell in love with her because I loved her loved her, or because I loved her as a sibling but was scared of being alone and so convinced myself it was more.”

Nero shrugged.

“But it's in the past now, and I'm recovering. Our relationship is a bit strained still, but it will get better in time, but for now I've been staying away just in case I relapse.”

V made an inquisitive noise. Nero shrugged helplessly as he tried to explain.

“In my head I know that I'm not in love with her now, but the heart wants what the heart wants. And what my heart wants is to be loved and not be alone. Better not to risk it.”

“Of course.” V replied softly, before craning his head forwards and trying to see what flowers Nero had brought with him on this day.

Nero laughed at the other's antics, and held the dandelions out towards V, making sure to keep one for himself. He watched as V ran his damp fingers of the soft spores, pulling back in surprise and alarm as many of them stuck to his skin or fluttered away.

“These are dandelions.” Nero explained. “When I was a child, I used to love picking these and blowing the spores into the wind while making a wish. I wanted to share that with you...” 

Nero's voice drifted off, suddenly embarrassed. Why in the world had he thought that this would be a good idea? Stupid, stupid stupid he berated himself. But V, instead of mocking him, looked delighted at the idea.

“So how do I...?” V asked holding one of the flowers aloft.

“Just take a breath and blow on it, when they are all flying away you close you eyes and make a wish.”

V nodded in understanding before separating a single flower from the bunch and taking a deep breath in. Nero nearly fell over laughing as V coughed violently as the spores got sucked into his mouth.

“V!” Griffon's voice was panicked and the glare he levelled at Nero was surely spelling his demise. He'd always known this human was going to get V killed.

V held up a hand placatingly as the coughs died down. By then Nero had recovered and was apologising profusely, telling the other that he had to take his breath before he held up the flower. 

“So this is what it is like to be coughing because of flowers.” V joked. Nero chuckled then, telling him to try again.

The another nod, V tried again this time sending the spores flying through the air. Dark lashes fell to cover his bright green eyes as V made his wish.

'I wish to experience the human world with Nero for just one day.'

Nero meanwhile was transfixed by the sight of V's lips as they blew upon the flower. He couldn't tear his eyes away from V's face, and the soft smile that softened his mouth tugged at something deep within him. A harsh whack on his leg from below pulled his attention away from the intoxicating man before him, and his dazed eyes met the murderous eyes of Griffon and Shadow. A large ominous shadow beneath the water signalled the arrival of V's third companion.

“Are you going to blow that?” 

Nero choked as V's words penetrated his brain and he turned to him with a look of shock on his suddenly reddened face. His shock faded however when he realised that V was gesturing to the flower Nero still held in his hand and he nodded.

“Together?” He asked, waving a hand towards the last few that V held.

With a nod, they both took deep breaths before once more blowing the spores into the breeze.

Nero squeezed his eyes closed tightly and wished.

'I wish this feeling would never end.'


	4. Chapter 4

 

“ _Back again I see Vaihere.”_

 

_Vergil's voice startled V from his hesitation and he swam forwards, companions following closely._

 

“ _Hello, Sea Witch.” V greeted politely._

 

“ _Now then V, I do believe that I told you to call me by name. After all, I did give you part of myself to keep you alive.” Vergil's voice was mocking._

 

“ _Vergil.” V responded hesitantly, the name of the sea witch something that was both feared and respected across the entire ocean._

 

“ _I know why you are here,” Vergil stated, turned to look at V with disapproval. “Is he really worth the effort?”_

 

“ _Yes.” V answered without hesitation. “Yes it is worth everything. I wish to see his world, to experience the things that he has told me of. Even if it's just for one day.”_

 

“ _I can give you three days.”_

 

_V's heart leapt with joy. Three days! He had not dared hope for so long to spend with Nero._

 

“ _But..” Vergil's voice broke through V's excitement, the tone warning him that the next words out of his mouth would be serious._

 

“ _The transformation will not be without pain, and whilst you are human, you will be effected by all of the ailments that humans are.”_

 

_V nodded, not really understanding what that meant, but willing to take any risk to experience the land with Nero._

 

“ _I will also allow Griffon and Shadow to accompany you, though their forms will also have to be altered to allow them to survive above water. Nightmare however is too large to be easily changed and shall have to remain here. As soon as they breach the surface, they will change, and once the three days are over, they too shall return to their original forms.”_

 

_Vergil watched V, wanting to make sure that he understood what he had been told. When he was satisfied, he drew his sword._

 

“ _Are you ready?”_

 

_V nodded fearfully, squeezing his eyes closed, too terrified to watch. He threw his head back with a scream of agony as the Yamato pierced through his tail. Vergil dragged the sword down splitting it in twain,and his scales fell to the ground to lay scattered amongst the sand._

 

_V clutched at his throat, air no longer reaching his human lungs, and he thrashed weakly. His pale human legs formed of magic, kicked uselessly before Griffon and Shadow pushed at V to help him to the surface._

 

_Vergil watched his struggle silently, all the time with a little smile tilting his lips, and if Griffon had had more time, he would definitely have given that ass-hole a piece of his mind, sea witch or no sea witch._

 

_V fell limply between them as they rushed him to the surface, scaring them both. Nightmare suddenly appeared beneath them, propelling the upwards rapidly, before they were all thrown from the water._

 

“ _Nice one you big lump!” Griffon groused as he landed with a dull thud against the dock._

 

_Nightmare blew a cheeky blast of water at the irate Griffon._

 

_Grumbling under his breath, he turned quickly to V, only to see a huge creature hovering over him._

 

“ _Oi, you! Get away from him!”_

 

_The creature turned to look at him balefully, and it was only then that Griffon realised that the creature was Shadow. Together they hovered over V, carefully nudging at him as he lay unmoving._

 

“ _V. V come on buddy. You didn't go through all of that just to die on us now did you?”_

 

_He brushed his newly acquired feathers along V's cheek._

 

“ _Come on V. Don't do this to us yeah?”_

 

_V then started coughing, body turning to the side and spilling out the water that had gathered in his lungs. Shadow nudged closer, using his body heat to try to warm V up. As a mer, V had never really felt the cold, but now his fragile human body shook with cold._

 

“ _Thank you my friends.” V's voice was hoarse from coughing, and he reached out a trembling hand to stroke along his companions new forms. That small effort seemed to be too much for his overtaxed new body, and he quickly fell asleep once more._

 

_Not knowing what else to do, Griffon took a few stumbling steps, wings flapping uselessly before he finally managed to work out how is new limbs worked. Before Shadow could stop him, Griffon took off to find Nero and bring him here. They only had three days after all._

 

 

 

 

Nero was standing in his room, most certainly not trying on and discarding outfits as he planned to visit V later that afternoon, when the sound of giant flapping wings broke through his concentration.

 

“Oi you! Numo!”

 

Nero turned to see the biggest demonic looking bird flying hell for leather towards his open window. Without a thought, he drew Blue Rose and aimed it at the bird.

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa now hold up there buddy! Don't go being hasty now yeah? What would V have to say about that?”

 

Something about the bird's way of speech and the mention of V, niggled at the back of Nero's mind.

 

“Griffon?”

 

“Bingo! Give the boy a prize!”

 

“First, my name is _Nero_ and second, what are you doing here? And looking like....that? Aren't you meant to be an eel? Nero tilted his head in confusion.

 

“Yeeeeah, about that...Let's just say things happened and you should go meet up with V now.” Griffon perched on the edge of the window sill about to take off again, before turning back to Nero.

 

“Oh and bring some of those things too.” He flipped a wing negligently towards Nero's pants.

 

“Pants?”

 

“Yeah them, maybe something for up top too, V doesn't seem to be able to keep in the warmth at the moment. But hurry yeah?”

 

With a wobble and what looked like an unplanned free-fall, Griffon took off back towards the shore.

 

Nero nodded, gathering some things together and heading out the door towards his bike. With a roar of the engine, Nero took off as fast as he could towards what he had started to think of as 'their' dock. It took less than ten minutes to make his way there, and Nero hopped off the bike and gathered up the bag he had thrown some spare clothes into and made his way down to the end.

 

About halfway down the dock, he paused.

 

There was someone lying on the dock, covered in what looked like an old boat cover and guarded by an enormous looking cat...thing. The cat turned at the sound of his arrival, and Nero tensed ready to dodge at a moment's notice, but the big black beast merely yowled unhappily before nudging the figure before them.

 

Dropping the bag, Nero took off as fast as he could towards the other person. It was only as he drew closer that he could make out the faint outline of V's familiar tattoos and his night dark hair poking out of the covering.

 

“V!”

 

Nero called out in worry. He had never seen the other man looking so helpless before, and it scared him.

 

“Nero?” V's voice was quiet and raw from coughing up water earlier.

 

“Hey buddy, how you doing?” Nero knelt down and gently pulled V's head into his lap, stoking the damp strands of hair away from his pale face.

 

“Mmmm, I've been better,” V responded with a wry smile. “But at the same time....I've never been better.”

 

Nero made a little questioning noise in the back of his throat, even as he kept running his fingers through V's soft hair. He looked up though as V threw the covering off of himself, and flushed bright red as he saw that V was naked. His eyes took in the look of V's body, long clean lines and muscled, if not a little thin, limbs.

 

It was only the sound of Griffon clearing his throat pointedly that made Nero realise that he had been staring at V's groin for the last few moments. Yup he could see now why Griffon had told him to bring clothes with him. The mer definitely shouldn't be walking around naked like......

 

Wait. Walking? Legs?

 

V had legs?

 

Nero whirled back around to take in the sight of V kicking his new legs, wiggling his toes in amusement.

 

“V?” Nero squeaked out.

 

“Surprise.” V said with a laugh.

 

“What? Why? How?” Nero flailed his arms as he threw out his questions. “No wait, first we need to put clothes on you ok?”

 

V nodded his head in seeming agreement, though inwardly he wondered why it mattered so much. Though now that he thought about it, Nero was always covered from top to bottom whenever he met him. Perhaps it was a human thing? Modesty was not a issue in the mer world.

 

Nero and Shadow helped V to stand on wobbly legs, each moment they threatened to dump the poor man back on his newly formed ass. Nero flushed crimson as V's naked body rested against him as he helped to pull the pants on that Griffon had retrieved. Sitting down and resting after the ordeal of putting on pants proved to be, Nero quickly pulled the hoodie on over V's head.

 

He laughed as V's face emerged, hair ruffled and sticking out all over the place.

 

“Now, how did this happen?”

 

“I visited the sea witch Vergil and asked for legs.” V stated with no lead in, causing Nero to choke on his spit.

 

“You what?” He sputtered in disbelief.

 

“I asked the sea witch for legs.” V repeated. “He turned Griffon and Shadow into land creatures to accompany me, though unfortunately Nightmare would have proven to be too large to be changed also.”

 

A huge spray of water blasted up in the distance cause a small smile to cross V's face.

 

“I was given three days to experience your world on land before I must return once more to the sea. I humbly ask that you show me the things that you enjoy here Nero.”

 

Nero found himself staring at V's excited face. The smile upon his lips and the light that shone in his eyes captivated him. He was dumbfounded and almost neglected to answer V's question.

 

“Of...of course! I'd love to show you some of the things that I love! You have fantastic luck too! There is a carnival here in town for the next few days, and I'm sure you'll love it.”

 

V mouthed the word ' _carnival'_ wondering what on earth that was, but happy to follow Nero's lead regardless. He only realised that he had tuned the other man's words out when he was being tugged to his feet and urged down the dock away from the water.

 

“What? Where are we going?” V asked shakily, leaning heavily against Nero's side.

 

“Back to my place of course! You can't sleep here tonight, and I'm sure you are hungry too!” The loud sound of V's stomach growling, caused Nero to laugh.

 

“We'll order in some pizza, trust me you'll love it, and we'll see about maybe getting you something to help you walk.”

 

Their walk ended in front of a.....thing. V had no idea what it was or what he was meant to think of it. If he had come across it in the ocean, he would have avoided it with all of his might, but Nero seemed to think nothing of that and hopped onto the beast. V stared as Nero gestured to him to climb up behind him, and he scrambled and stumbled his way over. With a lazy wave of his hand, Griffon and Shadow disappeared back into his tattoos, just as the engine roared to life.

 

With a startled yelp, V wrapped his arms tightly around Nero's waist and buried his face into his back. Nero laughed lightly and gunned the engine. He may have been showing off just a little, but he had a hot guy clinging to his back, so he didn't think that he could be blamed.

 

V's heart pounded loudly, not only adrenaline causing it to race. He buried his nose in Nero's back, taking in the fresh smell of sunshine and rain, and held on tightly as they made their way to Nero's home.

 

When they had arrived and upon entry, Nico had given him a pretty significant look when he had entered, but had held off from saying anything. Nero was more than thankful for her discretion, especially when her eyebrows flew upwards as V had to lean all over Nero as he walked up to his bedroom.

 

V sat upon the mattress of Nero's bed, bouncing a little in fascination. What was this made of? How could it be so soft? His attention was drawn to the doorway where Nero had reappeared after changing in the bathroom, and V couldn't help but stare at the smooth muscled chest before him.

 

“So...I hope you don't mind sharing the bed,” Nero asked nervously, hand rubbing the back of his neck. “We er, don't have a guest room and the couch is more likely to to try to eat you in your sleep than anything else.”

 

V looked mildly alarmed at that information, until he realised that Nero was just joking with him, before he nodded agreeably with Nero's suggestion. Being a mer, he didn't realise that there was typically significance placed upon two people sharing a bed, so he didn't feel the same sense of nervousness that Nero obviously did.

 

Nero helped V get settled into the bed, and then laid down himself beside him. He tried to settle as close to the edge as possible, not wanting to crowd V, but V didn't seem to care either way. Sleep finally claimed the pair and their bodies relaxed into each other. When he woke the next morning, V found himself to be surrounded and covered by Nero. His back was pressed up against Nero's chest, and Nero's arms held him tightly.

 

Once more, V's heart gave a happy little thrum, and a smile spread across his face, hidden within the pillow.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that people mostly call V Vitale (also that this name is not unpronounceable) but I decided to go with this instead.
> 
> It is Tahitian, vai "water" and here "loved, dear" and I just sort of thought that it fit (I don't even care that it is meant to be feminine :P)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This sort of got away from me and so I ended up needing to add another chapter....

 

The next morning Nero woke up face to face with V. A foreign feeling of warmth and tenderness filled him, as he took in the other man's face relaxed in sleep.

He took note of how those long dark lashes kissed the curve of those high cheekbones, his dark hair normally slicked back due to wetness lay in soft waves around his face and softened the sharp blade of V's nose. His eyes were drawn to V's parted lips, watched how his tongue darted out to wet them, how they rubbed together slowly, teeth nibbling lightly at the lower lip.

Nero looked into hazy green eyes that stared back at him confusedly, tried and failed to name the colour even as he feel deeper into that intoxicating gaze......

Wait. Wait looking into V's eyes? V was awake? Nero jolted back with a start, confusing the other even further, before clearing his throat with embarrassment. He hoped that V hadn't noticed that he had been staring at him sleep like a creeper.

“Good morning V. I hope you slept well.”

V made a vaguely affirmative sound, eyes tracking around the room as though wondering how he had gotten there. It didn't take long thought before remembrance of the previous day flooded his mind and he broke into a smile filled with so much delight that Nero had to turn away, ear and cheeks flushed deeply.

“A very good morning to you too Nero.” V replied as the stretched out his limbs.

“Let's go make breakfast yeah?”

Nero hopped out of the bed ready to head down to the kitchen, when V tried to follow. V wobbled as he tried to stand, still not used to how legs worked, and as he tried to take a step they soon buckled and sent him tumbling towards the ground.

With a startled squawk, Nero lunged forwards to try to catch the other man, but it simply ended in both of them falling to the ground. Nero would like to point out though, that at least V had landed on him so he had saved the other man that pain. With a groan, V pushed himself up so he was hovering over Nero's prone form, and that was how Nico found them moments later.

“What in the nine hells is happening in here?”

The door flew open with a bang, Nico standing there in her pj's staring blankly at the scene before her eyes. V lay atop the downed Nero, hands braced on either side of his head, even as Nero's hands gripped his hips tightly.

“Oookay then, I'm just going to leave you two to.....whatever it is you are doin'.” She started to back away slowly mumbling all the while, “much too early for this crap. Jeez, boys!” Her door closed with a slam, leaving the boys sitting awkwardly in the ensuing silence.

V pushed himself up slowly and carefully, making sure to avoid eye contact with the blushing Nero.

“Uhmm, I believe you mentioned something called...break..fast?” V said as he pulled himself carefully up on the bed.

“Yeah, yes. It's um food. The first meal of the day.”

V nodded in understanding, looking up as Nero's hand entered into his vision. He looked up questioningly, and Nero haltingly explained that he doubted V would be able to make it there without help. Smiling thankfully at Nero, V let himself be pulled up and held securely to his side. Together they made their way down to the kitchen, where Nero deposited V at the kitchen table and proceeded to make breakfast.

Breakfast had flown past in a flurry of laughter and pulled faces, V not used to any of the human foods Nero had made, but eager to try whatever his friend had made for him. They had decided that they would spend the first day wandering the shops together, Nero not wanting to overwhelm V with too much too fast.

Nico had reappeared just before they left, carrying an ornamented silver cane and offering it to V. She had explained that it would help him to walk, and that he wouldn't have to rely on Nero to help him all the time. V felt a little stab of disappointment that he wouldn't get to feel the warmth of Nero's bulk pressed against his side constantly, but he understood the practicality of the cane and thanked Nico.

“Ah yeah I forgot about finding you something...” Nero rubbed the back of his head bashfully.

“It is fine Nero, I had forgotten myself.”

Instead of the two wheeled beast of yesterday, today they climbed into something that Nero called a 'car'. V found that he felt a lot safer cocooned within the car than he had flying along on the back of Nero's bike. Nero merely scoffed and told him bikes were better when he said this though.

Nero drove them to a shopping centre, realising that they would need to get V a few pieces of clothing for himself, as he swan just a bit in Nero's clothes. Upon arrival, Nero handed V over to one of the over eager sales girls who eyed them both appraisingly before whisking the alarmed V off to one of the change rooms in the back. Nero waved the other sales assistant off, and planted himself on a conveniently placed lounge.

Nero wasn't sure just how long had passed before a throat clearing drew his attention to the man standing to the entrance of the changing area. Gone were the shapeless sweat pants, replaced with fitted black pants fitted with a black belt and jangling chain. His feet were now in strapped sandals instead of the random flip flops that Nero had found under the bed. But what made Nero's mouth drop open and water was the top, if it could even be called that.

At first glance it appeared to be a corset type top and sleeveless jacket, but it turned out to be all in one. The sewn in corset fastened up the front with laces criss crossing V's abdomen, leaving his entire upper chest uncovered. The rest of the jacket fell to V's knees, and Nero wasn't salty about it covering up V's ass, he wasn't. Really. The entire outfit was finished off with the necklace and pendant nestled gently in the dip between V's collarbones, hair freshly brushed waving gently to his shoulders.

The sales girl peeked over V's shoulder, sending a sneaky wink at Nero and his dumbfounded expression. She mimicked closing her mouth at him, and Nero quickly realised that he was in dire risk of drooling. He quickly paid for the clothes and ushered V out of the store and away from the knowing looks on the sales assistants.

Lunch was another affair filled with so much laughter as they ordered samples of everything on the menu and tasted and tried everything on offer. A few of the things they tried, Nero himself had never had before, and so it ended up being a learning experience for them both.

Nero nearly gagged on the jelly fish they had, the strange chewiness was too much for his brain to handle, while V happily munched on it. V was not at all keen on the strange, squishy green balls on his plate, and Nero agreed that peas were terrible and that no one should ever have to eat them. With a sigh of relief, V pushed them carefully to the edge of his plate away from everything else.

For dessert, Nero ordered a chocolate cake and strawberry sundae to share. Nero shot up a hand to cover his mouth and smother his laugh when V tried the ice cream. The complete look of shock at the coldness on his tongue and the way V tried to wipe it off amused Nero. The look of utter betrayal that accompanied it didn't help either.

V was understandably wary when Nero offered the slice of chocolate cake as a peace offering, but he took a bite nonetheless. The moan that left his mouth sounded obscene, and Nero felt his stomach clench at the sound. Bliss covered V's face as the chocolate melted in his mouth, and he darted his tongue out to gather any stray crumbs that might have been left on the spoon.

Nero wasn't sure that he could take anymore of whatever it was that was happening, and he ushered V back to the car to spend the rest of the day introducing V to the wonders of movies and video games. Griffon and Shadow appreciated the time too, as they could both come out of hiding and lounge around seeking V's attention. Nico may have shrieked like a banshee when she saw them, but had threatened them all to secrecy on pain of death.

For V's last day as a human, Nero had planned to take him to a carnival that day appeared in time for the spring holiday season. By now V seemed to have a lot better idea of how to work his legs, though he did still use the cane, and could walk a lot further distances than previously.

Nero hustled them out of the house at seemingly the ass-crack of dawn, a piece of toast dangling from his mouth and a paper bag holding more for the mostly asleep V. Coffee was shoved unceremoniously into V's slack hands, the smell enough to wake the sluggish mer. With a look of utter disgust, V handed the so called 'devil's brew' back to Nero, trying to put as much distance between himself and the drink.

Nero took it back with a laugh, and proceeded to down it as they drove along. The ride was mostly quiet for the most part, though Nero's excitement built the closer they got to the fair grounds. V stared out the window, watching the world fly past. Today was his last day together with Nero, and he didn't want to have to go back to their infrequent meet ups after spending days alone with the man.

The slam of a car door pulled V from his downwardly spiralling thoughts, and looking up he was met with a riot of colour and activity before his eyes. As Nero opened the door and helped him out, V's ears were assaulted by music and noises and the happy screams of people everywhere.

'What the ever loving squids tentacles is this place?' Griffon's voice sounded out in V's head in bewilderment. A low rumbling growl of agreement from Shadow, showed his confusion too.

“I suppose we shall find out soon.” V murmured quietly, trying not to draw attention to himself.

“C'mon V! Let's get going before the lines get too long!”

V stumbled slightly as Nero grabbed a hold of his hand, and pulled him excitedly towards the entrance. He ushered them towards a roller-coaster after passing the ticket gate, assuring V that he would love it. V, watching the carts race up and over and around, wasn't so sure but was still willing to give it a go.

'Veeeeeeee! We're going to diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie!!!

The shrieking voice of Griffon lined up perfectly with V's own thoughts as the cart they were in twisted and turned, gaining speed as it went. V could feel his stomach drop as the crested the next climb, a huge drop looming before them.

'Abandon ship! It's ever eel for himself! V!'

Nero threw his arms up in the air and yelled at the top of his lungs, while V held on for dear life to the bar across his lap. By the time to coaster rolled to a gentle stop, V wasn't sure how anyone could possibly enjoy such torture. His legs wobbled more than usual, and his grip on his newly regained cane was tight enough that his knuckles turned white.

“Woo! That was awesome, wasn't it V?” Nero turned to him excitedly, bouncing still.

'V, V buddy. If you ever cared for us, for me, you will never do that ever again.'

V nodded in agreement with Griffon, but Nero seeing the movement grinned back at the queasy mer. Luckily by this time the line had grown long enough that Nero didn't want to wait again, not when there were so many more things to do and see.

At lunch, Nero regretted buying V a corn dog as he watched the other man lick the sauce dripping off of his fingers. He watched as V nibbled, face flushing as not so pure thoughts briefly made an appearance in his mind. He reared back with a muffled shout of pain, ducking his head beneath the table to glare at the demonic bird hiding there.

Griffon stuck close to V, flicking his wing between Nero and himself to let the other man that he was keeping his eye on him. Nero scowled down at him, but quickly made excuses when V asked what was going on. Nero quickly stuffed the rest of his lunch in his mouth to try to distract himself.

A giant whale plush at one of the game stands caught V's eye, and he tugged at Nero's sleeve to draw his attention.

“Oh look at that Nero! That whale looks just like Nightmare!”

Nero smiled over at V, happy to see the other bouncing on his feet happily.

“Well, we'll just have to go win it won't we?” He replied with a smirk.

He handed some coins over to the stall manager, and quickly picked up the rifle before him. Though he wasn't familiar with rifles, he was usually a pretty crack shot with Blue Rose. Lining up the targets, Nero quickly shot them all, knocking them down, much to the manager's shock. Pointing up at the dark whale plush, the man unhooked the toy and handed it to Nero. With an over-exaggerated flourish, Nero presented the whale to V. V clutched the oversized toy to his chest, almost disappearing behind it.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around sampling food and occasionally Nero convinced V to try another ride. He laughed when V complained about the fairy floss disappearing in his mouth, and when his teeth stuck together after eating a candy apple.

When afternoon was starting to fade into evening, Nero tugged a tired V from the carnival and back to the car. He told him that there was one last place that he wanted to show V before they went home.

Placing the whale in the back of the car, V hopped in the front and looked at Nero inquisitively.

“Nope, you'll have to wait and see where we're going. It's a surprise.”

Nero hid a smile as V made a disappointed little noise, pouting up at him, but held onto his resolve; if only just. It was the thought of V's reaction to his surprise that held his tongue, and Nero couldn't wait.

After a quiet twenty minute drive, Nero asked V to keep his eyes closed for a while until they arrived at their destination. V turned to look at Nero, but Nero simply repeated the request.

“Please V?” Nero asked again.

And V couldn't say no, not to Nero. Not when he asked so nicely, and so he closed his eyes, resisting the urge to peek. Nero waved a hand in front of V's eyes just to check, and nodded in satisfaction when V didn't react. Restarting the car, Nero drove more cautiously, aware that V would no longer be able to brace himself for corners or quick stops or starts.

They made it to their destination after a quick five minute drive, Nero parking the car carefully before telling V that he was coming around to open his door for him. V sat patiently waiting for Nero, hearing the tell tale crunch of his footsteps outside, Nero pausing to rummage around for something in the trunk, before his door opened and Nero reached a hand in to help him exit the car. V nearly fell on his face when they both realised that they had forgotten all about the seatbelt, and they quickly fell into light laughter, though V did make sure to keep his eyes closed.

“I am so sorry about that V,” Nero chuckled. “I'd have felt so bad if I made you fall on your face, especially when I made you keep your eyes closed.”

“Not to worry Nero. I didn't fall and there is no harm done.” V smiled vaguely in the direction of Nero's voice. “And I dare say we both thought that it was an amusing incident regardless.”

With a last chuckle, Nero guided V out towards his destination. Twenty steps forwards, four shallow wooden steps, a slight turn to the left, and then they halted.

Turning V this way and that, Nero tried to find the best positioning for the biggest impact. V stoically endured being moved around like a rag doll, and let Nero do as he pleased.

“There.” Finally Nero was satisfied with his positioning. “Ok V, you can open your eyes now.”

V slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to adjust once more to the light, and when he finally saw the view before him he gasped. His hands flew to cover his mouth, and his eyes watered with emotion as his eyes roved over the fields and fields of flowers before him.

“I hope you like it V. I could never bring you all of the flowers that I wanted to show you down at the docks, but now that you're here, I wanted to show you all of these.” Nero gestured with his hand at the fields all in bloom. “A friend of mine knew of this place, and recommended it to me. And these are for you too.”

Nero pulled another bouquet from behind his back. Gardenias, red carnations, primroses and yellow tulips.

V reached out a trembling hand and took the lovely bouquet from Nero. He breathed in the scents, and felt the softness of the petals, and in that moment he realised that he was in love with Nero. He loved his dorky attitude and the silly little smile he flashed when he was embarrassed about something. Loved how even when they had been strangers, Nero had felt safe enough with V to open up and tell him all of his troubles. He loved the little crinkles that Nero got beside his eyes when he laughed, loved how when he really got going he would let out occasional little snorts.

V loved everything about this man before him, and he wanted Nero to know. Hoped that he felt the same, but knowing that even if he didn't, well V would return back to the ocean and they wouldn't have to ever meet up again and V could nurse his broken heart alone.

Holding the bouquet with one hand, V turned towards Nero with a tearful smile on his face. He lifted his free hand to cup Nero's cheek, murmuring softly to the other man.

“Nero....I....thank you so, so much. You don't know what this means to me.”

Before Nero could respond, V leant forwards those last few inches and gently kissed Nero's lips.

“I love you Nero.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Nero isn't aware what the meanings of the flowers that he has given V.
> 
> Gardenias - You're lovely, Secret Love  
> Primrose - I can't live without you  
> Red Carnations - My heart aches for you, Admiration  
> Yellow Tulips - There's sunshine in your smile


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with this story, and I hope you enjoy the ending :)
> 
> I have already have another story or two I'm working on, so I hope you keep an eye out for them.

 

Nero froze at the feeling of lips against his own. He didn't know what was going on here, didn't know what to think. All he knew was that the word 'no' kept running through his mind like a mantra.

 

' _No'_ He couldn't be in love again.

 

_'No'_ He couldn't, _wouldn't,_ risk this again.

 

_'No, no, no, no....'_

 

“No.”

 

Nero pulled away from V, a look of distress on his face.

 

“No what?” V asked softly, reaching out towards Nero.

 

Nero pulled away sharply, and V's hand fell into the space between them, a look of hurt crossing his face briefly. Nero felt a slight stab of guilt at that, but he didn't move closer.

 

“No, you can't love me. No I don't love you. No we, _I_ can't do this.” Nero ran a shaky hand through his hair, ruffling the locks. “I'm sorry V, but I...I need to go.”

 

And with that Nero turned on his heel and all but fled back to the car, leaving a heartbroken V behind with no way home.

 

“Oh,” V all but whispered into the empty field.

 

A pull at his tattoos and Griffon and Shadow appeared before him. Griffon spitting curses and threats against Nero, while Shadow tried to offer comfort to the shaking V. A harsh, wracking cough tearing from V's lips, stopped Griffon's tirade in it's tracks and he rushed over.

 

V clutched at his chest as a foreign feeling of tightness filled his chest, before deep coughs tore themselves from his throat. Dropping the bouquet of untold feelings, V covered his mouth with his trembling hands, V looked up in panic, despair and resignation. He lowered his hands, revealing to Griffon and Shadow the petals covering his palms.

 

“Oh gods, oh V. We...we need to get you home buddy. Need to see if there's something Vergil can do to reverse this yeah? V? V!”

 

Griffon's frantic voice barely registered in V's mind, his shaking limbs sending him crashing to his knees. Shadow yowled in alarm, diving beneath V to cushion his fall. Wriggling his body beneath V's, Shadow rose with the other man draped over his back. Griffon flew up into the air to try to find out which way the ocean was, calling out to Shadow which way to run.

 

V clutched weakly at Shadow's dark fur, petals falling from his mouth in a morbidly beautiful trail. He was filled with both despair and confusion, mer were not susceptible to coughing up flowers, they didn't even have flowers like these under the ocean. So why was he now coughing up flowers?

 

' _... and whilst you are human, you will be effected by all of the ailments that humans are'_ Vergil's words came back to him, and all of a sudden both the warning and consequences made sense in a way they hadn't before.

 

“Oh” V murmured again. “I see.”

 

His weakened body soon passed out upon Shadow's back, causing both Shadow and Griffon to cry out in alarm.

 

 

 

 

Nero hurried to his car and jumped in the driver's seat, speeding off as soon as the door slammed closed behind him. His mind was a jumbled mess, and he didn't know what to even think anymore.

 

Why had V kissed him? When had the mer fallen in love with him? Could it even work between them? Did Nero want it to?

 

Nero pulled to a stop at a red light, alarming the couple in the car beside his own as he banged his head repeatedly upon the steering wheel. A loud impatient honk from the car behind him, jolted Nero into accelerating across the intersection and he sped towards home at a dangerous pace, trying to outrun his thoughts. Catching sight of the whale plush sitting innocently on the back seat, Nero felt like it seemed to be mocking him.

 

Nico shouted in alarm as the door to their house flew open and crashed into the wall, Nero stumbling like a drunk man through the door a moment later. She watched worriedly for V to appear next, but no one else entered the house before Nero once more slammed the door closed and leant against it.

 

Hands coming up to cover his face, Nero broke down as he leant against the front door. His legs buckled beneath him, and he ended up sliding down the door, dry sobs escaping his mouth. Nico crept forwards silently, laying an uncharacteristically gentle hand upon Nero's shaking shoulders. She yelped slightly in alarm as Nero all but launched himself into her arms. She patted his head awkwardly all the while repeating the words “it's ok, it'll be ok.” When Nero started to shake his head at her, she asked him what was no.

 

“It's not ok. It won't ever be ok again. V's gone, gone, gone, gone.”

 

Nico felt her heart stop. V was gone? Was he dead? Did he return back to the ocean without saying goodbye? What had happened between the two, when just this morning they had seemed so in love.

 

“What do you mean Nero? How is V gone?” She held her breath, hoping, praying not to hear the worst.

 

“I can't. He...shouldn't, and I just. I couldn't.....didn't want to be vulnerable like that again. And then he said....and I just left. I left him there and ran away!”

 

Nico brushed the hair back off of Nero's forehead softly as she listened to his disjointed explanation, holding him tightly as he buried his face in her neck.

 

“What shouldn't V have done Sweet-cheeks? And what did he say that was so bad?”

 

“Shouldn't have kissed me, told me he loved me. Shouldn't have fallen in love with me when I can't, _won't_ , fall in love again.”

 

“Oh baby,” Nico crooned softly. “I hate to break this to you, but you are already so far in love with that boy that it's just not funny anymore.”

 

“No! I can't be!” Nero frantically pulled back to look Nico in the eyes. Nero's hands held her shoulders tightly as he searched almost desperately for a hint of untruth or of mocking, but found none.

 

“No...” He whispered out, heart thudding painfully in his chest.

 

His mind though, grabbed a hold of those words and proceeded to show him every moment that he had started to fall for the other man. Every smile, laugh and gift they shared. The secrets that they had told to no one else. The fact that V had made a deal with a potentially deadly witch, just so that he could see Nero's world, even if it was for only a few days.

 

“Oh gods, Nico.” Nero sobbed. “I _do_ love him. I do. I love him dammit. I didn't even realise, and somehow it's happened, and he makes me so happy and I just broke his heart and left him there. Gods I am a terrible person.”

 

“Not so terrible Nero,” Nico consoled. “A bit of an idiot sure, but mostly likeable.”

 

Nero snorted wetly at her words, and Nico pulled a face at him.

 

“And so damn gross too.”

 

“Thanks Nico, but even though I love him.....can it even, I mean how would we...? I mean would he even still want me after what I've done?”

 

“Well that's for you two to work out isn't it? But Nero, if you want it badly enough I'm sure you will find a way. V became human for you! So don't tell me that there isn't a way.”

 

“Yeah. Yeah you're right. Thanks Nico. Now I should probably go back and find V. I er....sort of maybe drove off and left him at the flower place.”

 

Nero wasn't at all surprised at the whack on the back of the head that he received from Nico at that.

 

“I can't believe that you just left him there! How was he meant to get home if I didn't knock some sense into you?”

 

Nero shrugged sheepishly, and pulled himself back to his feet. He offered his hand down to Nico to help pull her up too, before pulling her into his arms for a fierce hug.

 

“Thank you Nico.” Nero whispered to her. “I don't know what I've done in life to deserve a friend like you, but I'm glad all the same.”

 

“Aw shucks, you sure know how to make a girl blush Nero.” Nico pushed him away, trying to hide the real blush that painted her cheeks. “Now git, and go find your man.”

 

Nero smiled as he quickly ran back out the door and jumped onto his bike. He gunned the engine and flew back towards the last place that he had left the other man, desperate to see him and tell V that he loved him too. Pulling back into the car park, Nero raced back to the spot where they had been earlier, but there was no sign of V there. Looking around for a clue as to where he might have disappeared to, Nero could see the bouquet of flowers that he had given to V on the ground, surrounded by flower petals.

 

As he neared the crumpled flowers, Nero began to notice that none of the petals surrounding the flowers were from the bouquet like he had assumed. It was only then that he noticed the trail of petals that seemed to head off towards the ocean, and his heart froze in his chest.

 

“No.” Nero breathed out.

 

This wasn't possible, mer weren't meant to be susceptible to Hanahaki. But why then was there a trail of petals? Without further thought, and not wanting to follow the clues to their logical conclusion, Nero raced back to his bike and sped as fast as he could towards the dock where he and V first met.

 

“Please V, please be ok?” Nero felt a sob rising up, and tried to hold it back. “I'm coming, and I love you too. Just...just please.”

 

 

 

 

Griffon flew as fast as his wings would carry him, without losing sight of Shadow and his precious burden. As soon as they were close enough to the ocean for Shadow to be able to find his way on his own, Griffon dived down towards the water screeching loudly for Nightmare. The roiling waves showed that Nightmare was already close, and that he too had somehow worked out that something was wrong with their friend.

 

“Nightmare, hey big guy!” Griffon all but cried. “I need you to swim as fast as you can and go get the sea witch. I need to you bring Vergil here. Hurry!”

 

Nightmare disappeared into the darkened waters with a blow of air, speeding down into the depths of the sea. Normally a whale like him would not be able to venture as fast and as far as he was currently heading, but Nightmare was not a normal whale. He was a piece of the sea witch, given form to keep that shy, innocent whelp of a babe alive when he had been abandoned. As such, the need to surface for air did not effect him as such and he quickly made his way back to Vergil's lair.

 

By now Shadow had made it to the sand beside the dock, and gently lowered himself so that V slid off of his back and onto the sand. Griffon came gliding down from the dock to hover over V's still form. The water lapped gently at V's sandal covered foot, the ocean seemingly welcoming back one of her own. Shadow nudged V's face gently, a pleased rumble breaking the tense silence as V stirred slightly.

 

Griffon hopped closer, gently nudging at V's arm with his beak, all while murmuring softly to him.

 

“Hey V, you with us buddy?”

 

V groaned in pain, chest once more seizing up as he spew forth a cascade of flowers once more. Once he had thought these blooms to be so beautiful, but now he wasn't so sure. He didn't know how humans could love them so, yet they had the ability to kill so easily.

 

“Easy there V. Easy. We're here for you, and we've sent the big guy off to get help ok? So just hold on for a bit longer and then we will finally get you back in the water where you belong.”

 

Griffon's soft, but panicked words surrounded V, along with Shadow's fretful rumbles, but V couldn't focus on them. Griffon's words came to an abrupt halt as V started to speak.

 

“When I take my final rest,  
This day, if life is through;  
I'll thank the Lord I lived so blessed  
That I died loving you.”

 

V's voice faded out as another coughing fit overtook him. Full blooms fell from his mouth, stems and vines seemingly coming in a never ending flow.

 

“V no. V you are not dying here today. I won't let you ok?”

 

V wasn't sure if Griffon was trying to reassure V or himself, but V knew that he was too far gone. He knew that the disease was not supposed to progress this fast, but also that his body was not human, that he was weak and so it was accelerated.

 

“It's ok Griffon, Shadow.” V's voice was raspy and raw. “I'm....if Nero doesn't feel the same way, well....”

 

“I knew that damn kid was trying to kill you! I should go find him and.....”  


“Griffon....no.” V begged quietly.

 

Griffon turned to look at V. Saw the pleading in his eyes, the sadness and regret. But most of all, he could see the love that V still held for that idiot.

 

With a stifled sob, Griffon turned away as he nodded his assent.

 

The sudden sound of water rising drew both of their attention towards the ocean, where a great wave rose up from the water. And upon the top of the wave sat Vergil, right leg crossed over the left, elbow resting upon it, with his chin perched upon his fist.

 

“Oh my, my poor V. Humanity is such a chore isn't it?”

 

“Don't mock him you stinkin' ass! Save him!” Griffon shrieked at Vergil.

 

Vergil turned his bored eyes upon the shrieking bird, and with a flick of his wrist sent both Shadow and Griffon tumbling back into the water where they immediately turned back into their original forms. His eyes then fell upon the panting V, pity painting his features.

 

“I'm afraid that I can not heal you V. And while you are afflicted with this human aliment, you will not turn back into a mer. It pains me to say, but this just might well kill you, unless.....”

 

The loud roar of a motorcycle caused V to jolt where he lay in the sand, Vergil's eyes upon the speeding figure approaching rapidly. Even his eyes widened in shock, as instead of parking the bike and running towards them, Nero jumped the bike over the barrier and flew down the sand towards them. He skidded to a halt a safe distance from V, and all but threw himself down at his side.

 

“Oh gods V, what...? Why are you so sick? What's happening?”

 

“He is sick because he is not really human, and so your human ailment is progressing faster. His body was never meant to fight off something like this, and you have probably already realised this, but V had a weakened human body. The transformation took a lot of his strength, so he has nothing left to fight with now.”

 

Nero looked up to see a man with white hair and blue eyes, much like his own, staring down at him from his throne of water.

 

' _Legs?'_ Nero wondered, but decided that that was the least of his problems.

 

“Ok, but can you fix it?” Nero pleaded.

 

Vergil sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

“I have just finished telling the others that, no I can't fix it.” Vergil held up a hand to forestall whatever it was that Nero was about to say. “But you can.” Vergil jabbed a finger towards Nero's chest.

 

“Me?” Nero pointed to himself in question.

 

Vergil rolled his eyes. Humans, were they all so stupid?

 

“Do you see anyone else here that V is in love with that also loves him back?” Vergil's voice was mockingly slow and pointed.

 

“Er no,” Nero rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Wait, how did you know that I loved V?”

 

“Is this really the time to be asking this?” Vergil asked in disbelief.

 

With a wordless cry of alarm, Nero turned back to V who was staring up at him in shock.

 

“You...Nero..what?” V choked out.

 

“Yeah V, it's true.” Nero's voice was steady. “I love you.”

 

“But before you...” V started confusedly, before Nero cut him off.

 

“Before I was an idiot. I didn't want to fall in love again, I was so scared that it would turn out badly like last time. It took Nico to make me realise that rather than having to be scared, I was already in love with you. And it had been as easy as breathing.”

 

“You..”

 

“Love you, yes.”

 

“I..”

 

“Love me, yes.”

 

“NERO!” V cried exasperatedly.

 

“That's me.” Nero grinned down at V.

 

“Shut up,” V groaned.

 

“Gladly.” Nero whispered huskily, leaning forwards to capture V's lips.

 

V gasped at the contact, lips parting slightly and allowing Nero to nibble gently at his lower lip. Nero pulled back to make sure V was ok, before he dived right back in. This is how their first kiss should have gone, not the travesty of earlier, and Nero wanted to erase the memory from existence.

 

Their lips parted, and pressed together again and again, innocently giving and taking pleasure without deepening the kiss. It could have been minutes or even hours later when they finally parted, heads resting against each other and looking into each other's eyes.

 

“Hey V,” Nero whispered. “You aren't coughing anymore.”

 

And V then realised that Nero was correct. The tightness in his chest was gone, now filled with a sense of warmth. It took him only a moment longer to realise what this meant, and he threw himself away from Nero with a shout. Nero, confused, tried to follow only to be held back by magic as V thrashed on the sand yanking his clothes off. Yells of agony fell from V's lips as his legs drew together, skin fusing into a single pillar, scales pushing themselves out through the skin as they regrew. Nero watched in horror as V bled all over the sand, his body changing back into a mer.

 

When the change was finally finished, V crawled his way towards the water. Nero, released from his hold, grabbed a hold of the exhausted mer and carried him out to deeper water. He watched as Griffon and Shadow appeared at V's side, once more back in their marine forms, and then slowly made his way up onto the dock where it would be easier to speak to V.

 

“V...how are we going to make this work?” Nero questioned sadly.

 

“I don't know Nero. But I want to try.” V responded lowly.

 

“Hmm, perhaps I could be of help?”

 

Nero yelped at the sound of Vergil's voice from beside him. He had forgotten all about the other.

 

“How so?” V ask with a little tilt of his head, eyes wary.

 

“I could turn you back into a human, permanently. I would merely take your mer form as payment.”

 

V hummed in thought. “And Griffon, Shadow and Nightmare?”

 

“Well you see that is a problem, and they would not be able to go with you.”

 

“V buddy don't leave us,” Griffon begged. “We can't lose you again, not like that.”

 

V turned to Nero with a sad smile. “I'm sorry Nero, but I can't do that. I owe them my life and I can't leave them behind.”

 

Nero nodded in understanding, upset, but knowing that V cared so much for them filled him with warmth.

 

“Of course I could always turn Nero here mer. I would just take his human form instead.”

 

"Why would you do that for us?" Nero questioned warily. Vergil merely shrugged.

 

"It has been many years since I have had the opportunity to replenish my energy. Taking your human form will restore me for another millennia or so."

 

V looked towards the shocked Nero nervously. Would the other take Vergil up on his offer? He would be leaving everything and everyone he knew behind if he did.

 

Nero sat quietly in thought. Was this what he wanted? Could he leave everything behind to be with V? Could he live _without_ V?

 

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Nero dialled a familiar number and held it up to his ear. It rang for a few seconds before being picked up. Nero stared deeply into V's eyes, not once looking away as he spoke.

 

“Nico? Yeah it's me. Yeah I found him and he's ok.” Nero swallowed nervously. “Nico? Nico....I'm about to do something really stupid for love, and I won't be coming home.”

 

Nero's voice choked as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. V reached out a hand to touch Nero's knee, stroking it softly as he listened.

 

“Just....one day soon, I hope that you will forgive me, and that you will come down here to visit. I'll...I'll miss you yeah? I love you like the annoying sister I never wanted.” Nero laughed wetly.

 

“Thanks Nico...and bye.” Closing his eyes as tears leaked from the sides, Nero hung up the phone placing it upon the dock before turning to Vergil. “I'm ready.”

 

With a nod, Vergil directed Nero to strip off his clothes and jump in the water. A deep blush covered Nero's face as he pulled off his pants and underwear, especially when Griffon let out a whistle, before plunging into the water. Popping up beside V, Nero waited for his next instruction. He saw Vergil nod at V, and then hands were grabbing hold of his arms and dragging him under the water.

 

Nero panicked as water began to fill his lungs, hands flying up to his throat as he drowned. His eyes started to dim as he felt death steal over him, thinking that Vergil had tricked him. Nero stopped struggling, content that at least his death would be by V's hands.

 

Lips once again pressed against his own, breathing air back into his lungs, and he greedily sucked in as much as he possibly could. He locked his now freed arms around V's waist and pulled the other mer closer.

 

He wasn't sure just when he stopped kicking his two legs, and started flipping a single tail, but he was made very aware of the change, when V brushed a gentle hand down the sensitive side fins. Pulling the newly turned mer back towards the surface, V took the time to admire Nero's scales. Blues and reds, fading here and there into a deep purple, the side and bottom fins an iridescent midnight blue.

 

“Beautiful” V murmured into Nero's ear, making him squirm.

 

“Well, my work here is done.” The pair turned their eyes back to Vergil, who seemingly looked decades younger.

 

“Thank you Vergil.” V smiled up at the sea witch with more happiness than the other had ever seen from him before.

 

“Yeah, thanks Verg.” Nero smirked at the irritated look the other threw him.

 

With a final nod, Vergil disappeared back into the water still seated upon his wave.

 

Turning back to V, Nero grabbed a hold of his hand and kissed the delicate fingers gently.

 

“I love you V. For all of time.”

 

V smiled back at Nero happily, the flush of love brightening his whole face.

 

“I love you too Nero.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Everyone one loves everyone else here. Now let's go home!” Griffon grouched, diving back beneath the waves. Shadow and Nightmare following after him.

 

With one last look at the land he had left behind, Nero turned back to V,

 

“Yeah, let's go home.” He said with a kiss upon V's smiling mouth.

 

Together they turned and they dived down into the ocean together.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much everyone for reading this.  
> I really hoped you enjoyed it :)
> 
> The poem is - 'I'll die loving you' by Greenwolfe 1962
> 
> When I wake in early morn,  
> Each time the day is new.  
> I thank the Lord that you were born,  
> As I'll die loving you.
> 
> As I sit alone and pray  
> And cling to love so true,  
> I'll hope to see you once today  
> As I'll die loving you.
> 
> When I see the stars at night,  
> I wonder if you do.  
> And hope they have us both in sight  
> As I'll die loving you.
> 
> When I take my final rest,  
> This day, if life is through;  
> I'll thank the Lord I lived so blessed  
> That I died loving you. 
> 
> GREENWOLFE 1962

**Author's Note:**

> Any comments or constructive criticism is most welcome.


End file.
